House of Sticks Read Free Page B

lackey and we’re high and mighty — you know, calls me Missus Bonnie and stuff like that. Like it’s a joke but sort of actually having a go at me. Know what I mean? And then he’ll have a go at Pete in front of me, I don’t know, criticise his haircut or something, like that’s funny.’
    â€˜That sounds really irritating.’
    The man from the cafe came out with a tray.
    â€˜Kids!’ called Mel. ‘Babycinos!’
    Bonnie lifted her glass carefully over Jess and sipped. ‘It wasn’t so bad,’ she hissed, as the children ran over and started clambering onto chairs, ‘before we moved, when Pete had his old workshop. But now, because they’re right there in the backyard, Doug’s — well, he’s always hanging around the house, playing with the kids, and — look, I’m sure he’s totally harmless, not, you know, pervey or anything, but I feel like I have to, you know, supervise.’
    â€˜Where’s my coffee?’ said Edie.
    â€˜I don’t know, darling,’ said Bonnie, lifting Jess to her shoulder and fixing her own clothes. ‘They must’ve forgotten it.’
    â€˜But I don’t have a coffee.’
    â€˜Hang on, darling.’ She got up. ‘I’ll go and see what’s happened to it.’ She stood for a moment looking at Mel. ‘I mean the whole thing’s just really stressful.’
    Back at the house the twins started up again at the sight of Doug’s van.
    â€˜Douggie! Douggie! Douggie!’
    Bonnie parked the car and swung around in her seat. ‘Listen,’ she said. ‘Doug is here to do some work for Dad, okay? He’s not here to play with you guys. I want you to leave him alone, okay?’
    â€˜Douggie! Douggie!’
    â€˜Edie! Louie!’ They both had that same little knot of resistance between their brows. She raised her own eyebrows. ‘Okay?’
    â€˜Okay,’ said Louie.
    â€˜But he plays with us,’ said Edie. ‘And he reads us books.’
    â€˜I know he does. But the thing is … Look. Doug — he gets distracted. You know, like when I ask you guys to do something, like put your shoes on. And you go to put your shoes on but then you get distracted — you see a book or a toy and you start playing.’ She kept shifting her eyes from Edie’s face to Louie’s and back again. ‘And I know you mean to put your shoes on, it’s just —’
    â€˜Can I have my library books?’ said Edie.
    Bonnie sighed.
    â€˜Can I have mine too?’ said Louie.
    â€˜Please, Mum?’
    â€˜Please, Mum?’
    She turned back in her seat, pulled the keys out of the ignition, started gathering up the bags. ‘Just please try to leave Doug alone, you guys, okay?’
    â€˜Can we have our library books? Please?’
    â€˜When we get inside.’ She opened the car door and tried to heave herself out holding all the bags and a bundle of coats. The nappy bag slid off her shoulder and onto the road. ‘Shit.’
    â€˜Oh, can’t we just hold them now?’
    â€˜Please, Mum?’
    â€˜When we get inside.’ She bent to pick up the nappy bag. The string handles of the two library bags were cutting into her forearm.
    â€˜Just one book then.’
    â€˜Edie! Louie!’ Bonnie rearranged everything she was holding and leaned back into the car. ‘Sorry, guys, it’s just that your books are inside your library bags and look how much I’m carrying — I just can’t get a book out for you right now, but when we’re inside I’ll get them all out and we’ll read some of them, okay?’ She looked from face to face, the two knotted frowns. ‘Okay?’
    Edie sighed. ‘All right then.’
    â€˜Let’s go outside,’ said Louie to Edie. ‘Let’s play Teacher, Teacher on the trampoline.’
    â€˜Have you finished your